One thing's for sure - coconut oil smells great. To me, it always smells like summer, due to one fantastic holiday I spent as a child on the New Zealand coast. The sunblock we used had coconut oil in it. And now I have only to catch a faint whiff of it to summon up that whole sundrenched holiday, complete with canoe trips, swimming and many lazy afternoons in the hammock. So that's me - sold on coconut oil from the smell of a summer's holiday.

Now more importantly - the facts. Coconut oil - is it healthy and helpful? We're going to look at the science-based evidence as well as the user-friendly evidence. And draw some conclusions.

The claims about coconut oil are many and various. I've been to forums where people claim it's cured everything from HIV to acne. Now, I can't judge for myself the facts behind these stories. However, it's important to look from many directions at a topic before evaluating.

Well, there are saturated fats, and un-saturated, and trans fats, and most of us have been lead to believe that saturated fats are Bad, and unsaturated fats are Good, and trans fats are Very Bad.

Which is close to, but not the whole truth. Coconut oil now is emerging from under the 'saturated fat is bad for you' craze of a few years ago.

Coconut oil is 90% saturated fat (0% trans fat.) But because of its molecular structure it doesn't really deserve to be lumped in with the 'Bad' saturated fats.

Unlike 98% of all other fats which are long-chain, coconut oil is a MCT, or medium-chain triglycerides (a different type of fat.) In fact, it's even used as an aid in weight loss.

So how do medium-chain triglycerides make coconut oil different? Unlike most fats, MCT fats are very easy to absorb. (Actually, that's why fats are fattening. They don't get absorbed and used. They get stored - as fat.)

If you were ever given formula as a baby you benefitted from coconut oil. Part of coconut oil has been added to baby formula for decades. Coconut oil is also used in hospitals to feed premature babies and severely injured people. (This is a fairly strong indication of its nutritional properties.)

This is because it helps greatly their growth and healing, and is so easily absorbed. Medical studies have shown that coconut oil can even be absorbed through the skin. Premature babies massaged with coconut oil showed increased weight gain.

So, after having a look at the evidence, it seems coconut oil comes out a winner.

1 cup uncooked brown rice

2 cups water

½ can coconut milk

1 Tbs. organic natural sugar

2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. fresh ground tri-color peppercorns

Add all ingredients together in rice cooker (or heavy pot with lid on stovetop) and steam until liquid is absorbed. Texture will be tender and creamy.

by Sharon Supplee

Also posted at www.coconutresearchcenter.org/successstories.htm

Actually, it's funny how health trends emerge. I remember when carbs were good, then carbs were bad, then fat was bad, then fat was good, then protein was in.

I think whenever some 'new' product emerges, it's worth taking a broad look at it. See the research, listen to the stories, then try it out. Often these 'discovered' nutrients and supplements have been used for centuries in their natural form. Then some scientific studies are done, and the results are blown out of all proportion in a marketing push to sell the next wonder cure-all.